KUALA LUMPUR: In a sign that election season in Malaysia is on its way, the country's Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday urged the younger generation to reject calls that “could disrupt unity, which has been the country's strength since it achieved independence 55 years ago.” It comes on the heels of numerous statements by the opposition over what is has said is blatant campaigning before the elections have been called. “We are watching and wondering what the government is doing right now because they are going on the offensive against the opposition even though we don't have an election date yet,” a leading opposition figure told Bikyamasr.com on Monday. “It is a worrying idea that the government is trying brand us as un-Malaysian and disruptive. That is not the truth.” Elections in Malaysia must be called for before April next year. The deputy PM said “these elements” would also “threaten the socio-economy development that was steering the country to become a developed, high-income nation by 2020. “There have been signs that because of political ideology, certain groups have been arousing hatred and disrespect for the basic principles of good people relations established since a long time ago,” he said. He also lashed out at some of the Bersih movement – those who are pushing for electoral reform – over their calls to change the national flag of the country. He argued this was a sign of those “disruptive elements” and urged citizens to not fall victim. The deputy prime minister said he “wants the younger generation to also shoulder the responsibility of maintaining racial unity for Malaysia to continue developing and be respected by the world community.”
